Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) Price Target Raised to $140.00

Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) had its price target upped by Morgan Stanley from $128.00 to $140.00 in a report released on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the utilities provider’s stock.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. StockNews.com raised shares of Atmos Energy from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Atmos Energy from $134.00 to $144.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, August 15th. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH initiated coverage on Atmos Energy in a research note on Monday, September 9th. They issued a buy rating and a $144.00 target price for the company. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Atmos Energy from $132.00 to $145.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, August 9th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $137.71.

Atmos Energy Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:ATO opened at $137.78 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 1.73 and a quick ratio of 1.57. Atmos Energy has a 1 year low of $101.00 and a 1 year high of $138.78. The firm has a market capitalization of $20.79 billion, a PE ratio of 20.66, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.68. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $131.03 and its 200-day moving average price is $121.75.

Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The utilities provider reported $1.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.05 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $701.55 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $924.75 million. Atmos Energy had a net margin of 25.09% and a return on equity of 8.94%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.94 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Atmos Energy will post 6.78 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Atmos Energy Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 9th. Investors of record on Monday, August 26th were issued a $0.805 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 26th. This represents a $3.22 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.34%. Atmos Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 48.28%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of ATO. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main boosted its position in shares of Atmos Energy by 3.5% during the 4th quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 1,489,174 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $172,595,000 after purchasing an additional 50,209 shares during the period. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. boosted its position in shares of Atmos Energy by 40.7% during the fourth quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 24,696 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $2,862,000 after buying an additional 7,141 shares during the period. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co grew its stake in shares of Atmos Energy by 3.9% in the first quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 176,224 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $20,957,000 after buying an additional 6,641 shares in the last quarter. Jupiter Asset Management Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Atmos Energy in the 1st quarter valued at $1,876,000. Finally, Swedbank AB lifted its stake in Atmos Energy by 565.3% during the 2nd quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 40,621 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $4,738,000 after acquiring an additional 34,515 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.17% of the company’s stock.

Atmos Energy Company Profile

Atmos Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the regulated natural gas distribution, and pipeline and storage businesses in the United States. It operates through two segments, Distribution, and Pipeline and Storage. The Distribution segment is involved in the regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations in eight states.